Rilee Buttars (Dónde) \\ Why better time off means better time on

TITLE: Travis Lowry (Vinyl VC) \\ Entrepreneurship, motivation, and investing in startups. Summary: In today’s episode, Les talks with Travis Lowry, General Partner at Vinyl Capital. Travis shares his early background in Texas as the child of an entrepreneur and how that impacted his own decision to jump into the startup scene. Travis talks about his time in Syria, and how that impacted his world view. Travis shares how he transitioned from entrepreneur to investor. His path illustrates the power of adaptability, strategic thinking, and the impact of a global perspective in the entrepreneurial world. Here’s a closer look at the episode: Travis Lowry shares his background, growing up in a household where his mother was an entrepreneur and his father was a salesman. Moving to Syria in 2010 and his startup in Syria using his Arabic language skills. Startup mistakes and lessons learned. Founding and working at a restaurant reservation platform. Entrepreneurship, venture capital, and business growth. Acquisitions, and company culture. Travis’s VC journey and approach with early-stage VC. Montana culture, travel, and entrepreneurship. Resources: Vinyl Captial Website: https://vinyl.vc/ Travis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/travis-kirk-lowry-b00b8850/ Vinyl Capital LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/vinyl-capital/

TITLE: Pete Roos (Bridger Photonics) \\ Revolutionizing Methane Detection Summary: In today’s episode, Les speaks with Pete Roos, CEO of Bridger Photonics, discussing the company's journey and its photonics technology used for precise methane emission detection and topographic mapping. The discussion covers Pete's background, the founding of Bridger Photonics, its early challenges, and the evolution of its technology from topographic to gas mapping LiDAR. Les and Pete also touch on the environmental impact of BP’s work, the oil and gas industry's response to their technology, and future opportunities for growth and expansion. Here’s a closer look at the episode: Pete Roos, CEO of Bridger Photonics, shares his background and academic path leading to his role in the Bozeman-based company. Pete Gallatin County, where Bozeman and MSU are located, has the most photonics companies per capita in the US. Career path and entrepreneurship in the field of photonics. Australia as a transformative time for Pete. Laser technology and its applications in topographic LiDAR. The split of the company and its subsequent success. Successful entrepreneurship and innovation in the energy industry. How Bridger Photonics uses proprietary sensors to detect leaks in natural gas infrastructure. Methane detection and emission reduction in the oil and gas industry. Why Pete thinks being based in Bozeman helps with his company mission and culture. Resources: Website: https://www.bridgerphotonics.com/ Pete LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-roos-66526510/ Bridger Photonics LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bridger-photonics-inc/ Bridger Phtonics Twitter: https://twitter.com/BridgerPhotonic

In today’s episode, Les talks with John Cordier, the co-founder and CEO of Epistemix. They discuss Epistemix's unique approach to simulation, and how it could be seen as a blend of SimCity, Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point, and The Matrix. John shares his background, including his geospatial experiences, university choices, and his journey through public health, leading to co-founding Epistemic X. The discussion covers the company's simulation technology, its applications in public health, decision-making, and business, particularly in predictive modeling versus traditional analytics. They also explore the broader impact of simulation technology on society and public health. Here’s a closer look at the episode: John combines his geospatial experience from childhood with simulation and AI. Founding a company, simulation vs predictive analytics. Using simulations to model human behavior and predict outcomes. Using AI to predict population behavior. Using AI to analyze healthcare data and predict outcomes. Creating a new category of analytics with agent-based modeling. Using data simulations to tell better stories and connect with people. Personal side projects and education experience. Life paths and connections with a surprise twist. Where to find out more about John and Epistemix Resources: Website: https://www.epistemix.com/ John LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johncordier/ Epistemix LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/epistemix/

In today’s episode, Les speaks with Jonathan Meyers, Co-Founder & CEO of DoneOps - which “designs, builds, secures, and maintains infrastructure so your devs don't have to.” Jonathan talks about his approach to balancing work and travel, his experiences in different countries, and his perspective on cultural diversity. He shares insights on adapting to various work environments as a digital nomad and the importance of flexibility and resilience in this lifestyle. Additionally, Jonathan discusses the evolution of his company, DoneOps, highlighting the challenges and successes in growing a business that supports digital infrastructure. Here’s a closer look at the episode: Jonathan’s experiences growing up in San Antonio, Texas and attending the United States Military Academy at West Point. Jonathan studied Information Technology at a school that was one of the first to offer a degree in the field, and they were heavily focused on computer networks and cybersecurity. Jonathan entering a hackathon in South Korea, winning it, and spending the next 6 months trying to raise money to start a business. Moving to Hawaii after Forcepoint acquired Red Owl Analytics, seeking a better work-life balance. What digital nomadism is, especially post-COVID. Jonathan describes their experience as a digital nomad, working from co-working spaces in various locations around the world, including Bali. Minimalism and digital nomadism. Challenges and adaptations of a digital nomad lifestyle. Connecting with old friends worldwide. Using SaaS apps (started by digital nomads) to find places with good WiFi to work. Traveling and working remotely with family. Cultural differences and meaningful connections created by living a nomadic lifestyle. Starting DoneOps and how it helps people to work and run their businesses from anywhere. Resources: Website: https://www.doneops.com/ Jonathan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanmeyers1/ DoneOps LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/doneops/

In today’s episode, Les talks with David Lopez who is the Co-Founder and CEO of Gritly. David talks about his journey from a challenging childhood in an underserved Colorado community to a successful entrepreneur is remarkable. His mother played a pivotal role in his achievements, including being the first in his family to finish high school. David's entrepreneurial spirit manifested early, leading him to co-found Gritly while studying at CU Boulder. Gritly evolved from a tech sales bootcamp to a comprehensive data-driven platform, aiming to empower marginalized communities with tech skills and job opportunities. Despite facing hurdles like fundraising and business pivots, David's resilience and adaptability shone through. His dedication to social impact extends beyond business, as evident in his active participation in volunteer activities, including serving on the board of A Precious Child. Here’s a closer look at the episode: Overcoming challenges and finding success through hustle and determination. 0:09 Growing up in a low-income, single-parent household and overcoming challenges through determination and support from family members. David’s entrepreneurial endeavor in high school set path for college and career goals. Entrepreneurship, grit, and family influence Creating a tech sales bootcamp for underrepresented groups. Tech sales certification program and its impact on job placement. Developing a platform for upskilling and hiring. Entrepreneurship, fundraising, and product development. Fundraising challenges and lessons learned as a first-time founder. Workforce development and job placement. Entrepreneurship, grit, and perseverance. Resources: Website: https://www.gritly.us/ David LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-g-lopez/ Gritly LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gritlyhq/

In today’s episode, Les talks with Patsy Landaveri, the founder and CEO of Impacto - an enterprise risk management solution to the oil and gas industry. The discussion focuses on Patsy's personal and professional journey, including her background, education, career progression, and her motivation to start Impacto. Patsy shares her story of moving from Peru to the United States for higher education and how her experiences shaped her career choices. She discusses her initial work in the energy sector, her involvement in community and business organizations, and her decision to start Impacto and develop the analytics platform called Lillico, designed to help oil and gas companies reduce regulatory complexities, lower costs, and provide powerful analytics for better decision-making. Here’s a closer look at the episode: The decision to move from Peru to the US. Patsy’s experience growing up without reliable energy and how it shaped her perspective on energy access. Patsy discussed her interest in energy management and her decision to pursue a master's degree in Global Energy Management at CU, which led to a career in oil and gas with Noble Energy and later Chevron. Being named one of the top women in energy by the Denver Business Journal in 2017. Les and Patsy discuss their passion for innovation and community involvement, with Patsy highlighting their mother's influence on their philanthropic values. The importance of taking risks and trying new things, even if it means failing. Starting your own business after life in the corporate world. Focusing on creating product-market fit through customer feedback and resourcefulness. Upcoming regulations in the industry and how they will be expensive and complex for companies to meet, affecting many industries beyond oil and gas. Patsy emphasizes the interconnectedness of economic factors and their impact on business decisions. Resources: Website: https://www.impactostrategy.com/ Patsy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patsylandaveri/ Impacto LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/impactostrategy/

In today’s episode, Les talks with Brad Paz - the co-founder and CEO of Zoptic. The podcast episode features a conversation with Brad Paz, the co-founder and CEO of Zoptic, a sports tech and data analytics company. Brad discusses his personal journey, originating from a family with Mexican heritage in Nebraska, and his passion for sports, which led him to play junior college basketball in California. The focus then shifts to his professional endeavors, particularly the founding and development of Zoptic. Throughout the conversation, Brad sheds light on the intersection of sports, technology, and data analytics, highlighting the significance of these elements in enhancing athletic performance and the sports industry as a whole. The dialogue underscores the importance of innovation and technology in sports, while also reflecting on Brad's unique experiences and the impact of his cultural and athletic background on his career and business achievements. Here’s a closer look at the episode: Brad Pas, co-founder and CEO of Zoptic, grew up in Nebraska and played sports in high school before attending the University of Denver. The inspiration for Zoptic was sparked by the desire to help children in sports by creating a video recording device, which was originally intended for Brad's daughter's basketball games. Brad developed a wearable tag for athletes to track their movements, which was initially intended for consumer use but later pivoted to a B2B product for team sports. Brad explains how the company's technology can provide data-driven insights for coaches, parents, and athletes to improve performance and reduce injury risk. Co-founder Tanya's diverse background and experience bring credibility and valuable insights to the company. Brad shares that the company is pursuing military and first responder applications for their technology. “We're a software company, not a hardware one, but we have a great hardware partner.” Brad: Integrating with other wearables like Whoop, Apple Watch, and Fitbit is an excellent idea for data aggregation and privacy protection. Resources: Website: https://www.getzoptic.com Brad LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradpaz/ Zoptic Twitter: https://twitter.com/getzoptic

In today’s episode, Les interviews Danielle Shoots, who is the Founding Partner and Managing Director of the New Community Transformation Fund, focusing on investments as a tool for economic equity. Here’s a closer look at the episode: Pivoting from corporate finance to starting a, with a focus on consumer behavior and financial discipline. Danielle has extensive experience in finance and strategy, having worked in various industries and held leadership roles at Comcast and the Colorado Trust. Danielle launched her own fund, Daily Boss Up, after recognizing a gap in the market for financial services tailored to young professionals and entrepreneurs. Les and Danielle discuss the potential for AI in scaling businesses, with Danielle sharing their personal experience as a TEDx speaker on leadership. Investing in BIPOC founders with a focus on the US market. Danielle launched a new fund, the Domestic Emerging Market Investment Fund, to invest in early-stage companies in the United States, with a focus on underleveraged groups and long-term growth. Danielle emphasizes the importance of valuation and growth, rather than just focusing on valuation for the sake of it. The fragility of the current venture capital (VC) model, which has not been diversified over time and is centered around a singular, non-diversified approach. Institutions must prioritize diversity and derisking in investment strategies to support founders and build healthy businesses. The importance of solving real-world problems and impacting people's lives, rather than just focusing on making money. The importance of self-awareness and accepting one's limitations to navigate feedback and criticism effectively. Feeling bored and how it can be an Achilles heel, leading to imposter syndrome and burnout. Resources: Website: https://www.demifund.com/ Danielle LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-shoots/ Danielle Twitter: https://twitter.com/danielleshoots?lang=en New Community Transformation Fund LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/new-community-transformation-fund/

Trent Mano (Convoi Ventures) \\ First to find and fund Utah's next breakout founders and startups In today’s episode, I talk with Trent Mano. Trent is a General Partner at Utah-based Convoi Ventures. We dive into the Utah startup community, Convoi’s specific approach, and the growth of AI startups. Here’s a closer look at the episode: Growing up in the Bay Area and serving as a financial advisor to startup founders. Convoi’s Utah-focused venture capital fund and its unique approach. Why they want to be the first check. Diversifying investments across FinTech, consumer tech, and Utah-based companies, with a focus on early-stage companies and value-add beyond check writing. Investor-founder relationships and the importance of vulnerability. Founders struggle with fear of failure and loss of identity after shutting down their businesses. AI-powered pitch competition at Utah Startup Week. AI startups and their potential for success. Early-stage funding challenges in the current market. Fundraising environment and founder traits for successful startups. Authenticity and community in investing and life. Resources: Website: https://www.convoiventures.com/ Trent’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trentmano/ Trent Twitter: https://twitter.com/TrentMano Convoi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/convoi-ventures/

In today’s episode, I'm super excited to welcome my friend Russell Sprole, who is the Founder and Managing Partner of Virta Ventures, which is an early stage, climate tech venture capital firm. Here’s a closer look at the episode: Russell Sproul shares his journey as a founder and venture capitalist in the climate tech industry. Career pivot from sports TV to climate tech investing . 1:30 Russell’s Emmy Awards, including three for Sunday Night Football and the Beijing Olympics. Reducing food waste in the agriculture industry. Investing in startups during the pandemic. Venture capital investing strategies and advice. Technology and innovation for environmental preservation. Resources: Website: https://www.virtaventures.co/ Russell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russellsprole/ Russell Twitter: https://twitter.com/RussellSprole Virta LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/virta-ventures/